Stowaway
by thatsimpalable
Summary: The Doctor is wandering the universe, devastated by the loss of Amy and Rory, when a sudden and unexpected passenger boards the TARDIS and enlists the Doctor's help. The Doctor will soon learn she is more than who she says she is, and they embark on a journey to find a missing link and discover her true identity. Rated K for possible language. No romance, just adventure!
1. Preface

_Author's Note: This is my first official fanfic, so reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy!_

_Allons-y!_

* * *

_ Hello, old friend._

One touch from the angel, and Rory was gone.

_By the time you read these words, Rory and I will be long gone_.

Another touch, and Amy was gone.

_I think, once we're gone, you won't be coming back here for a while and you might be alone, which you should never be._

But he was alone.

_Don't be alone, Doctor._

Even more alone than ever.

_And do one thing for me._

Anything.

_There's a little girl waiting in a garden. She's going to wait a long while, so she's going to need a lot of hope.__Go to her. Tell her a story._

The story of a lifetime.

And it ended too soon.

* * *

It only took a few days of wandering the galaxy before deciding he would do it; that he had to do it. It was the very least he could do.

So he set his course to that night, the night it all started, where little Amelia Pond would be sleeping in her garden, waiting for the madman with a box to come back. That seemed to be how it always was. They'd wait forever for him, but he couldn't spare a moment for them; didn't know how.

He pushes the glasses up the bridge of his nose and pulls the lever.

The TARDIS jolts to a halt. Its engines steam, but it seems to be alright after the Doctor does a quick sweep. He pats the console, taking a breath, wondering where he could possibly start. Before he could turn to leave, the TARDIS' doors swing open and a young woman flies in, immediately slamming them shut behind her. She turns, her eyes as wild as her grin, then raises her arm and points a gun directly at the Doctor.

"Take me somewhere. Anywhere."

* * *

_Author's Note: Don't forget to rate and review! Thanks for reading!_

_Also, Chapter 1 is up!_


	2. Chapter One

_"Take me somewhere. Anywhere."_

* * *

The girl smiles devilishly.

"How did you...? Where exactly...?" the Doctor sputters.

The girl's grin didn't falter at all as she responded matter-of-factly, "Well, right now, we're at the Stormcage Containment Facility, Cell 2873. But hopefully in a moment, once you stop blubbering, we'll be on a beach in Florida."

"But-but... how did you—"

"Simple. I attracted the TARDIS' matrix using an electrical field identical to that of the TARDIS and—"

"Nevermind. _Why?_"

"Because I was bored."

The Doctor stares at her, dumbfounded. "You were bored. So you just decided to take a stroll outside with a wandering TARDIS? _My TARDIS?_"

She shrugs. "Yeah. And the food there's awful."

"Alright. But why? Why the TARDIS? Why _my TARDIS?_"

"Why, why, why. My god, you're like a five-year-old."

_"Why did you steal my TARDIS? Answer me!_" the Doctor demands, taking a step toward her.

She reciprocates by closing the distance between them and holding the gun to his forehead, fire dancing in her eyes. "Ah-ah-ah. Florida first, explanation later."

The Doctor glares at her, jaw clenched, anger washing over him like a wave. "You'll get your little vacation once you tell me what's going on."

"I'll tell you once we're out of here. Promise. Every teensy little detail. In the meantime, however, the guards will have determined the presence of your vessel and sent a team to arrest us both. So I suggest you hop to it, Captain _Why_. Florida. Or somewhere with a beach."

He pushes the glasses up the bridge of his nose and pulls the lever.

* * *

When the TARDIS lands, the Doctor turns to the girl. "You can put the gun down now."

"I suppose I could. But how do I know you haven't taken us back to the Stormcage?"

"Go and see for yourself."

She turns, gun still raised, and peers out the doors. After a moment, she lowers her arm, returns the gun to its holster, and steps outside. "This doesn't look like a beach," she calls. The Doctor reluctantly follows her outside. They've landed in an open field, the sky a crystal blue against the emerald grass. He can see a grove of trees in the distance, but there isn't a building in sight on the seemingly endless rolling hills.

"Usually beaches have water and sand," the girl says, looking out over the horizon. "Do you see any sand?" The Doctor turns to her, finally able to get a good look. She is of fair height, and her tanned skin doesn't speak of time in prison. Her brown hair falls in soft waves over her shoulders and down her back; her lips are still curved up in a mischievous grin, and her eyes seem to reflect both the sky and the grass concurrently. She raises an eyebrow as if to reiterate her question.

"Sometimes the TARDIS isn't as reliable as I'd like."

Her grin widens. "I know."

"Really?" he asks, alarmed. "And how do you know?"

The girl turns away, resting her hand on the door of the blue box. "So you wanted to know why I stole your TARDIS."

"How do you know?"

"And why I stole you."

"How do you know about my TARDIS?"

"I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a time lord and ran away."

The Doctor is unable to speak. Her words seem to seep into his mind, etching away at whatever clarity he had left in the universe. Was it a coincidence, her choice of words?

She turns to face him; her sly grin is gone and a silent fire burns behind the sky and the grass reflected in her eyes. "I'm looking for someone," she continues. "Someone I've met before, but can't remember. Someone who has answers that I need. And you're going to help me find him."

* * *

_Author's Note: Don't forget to rate and review! I want to know what you guys think!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	3. Chapter Two

The Doctor narrows his eyes. "So you had no problem tracking down the only TARDIS in existence, dragging it to the most guarded prison in the universe, and just waltzing away to some field in the middle of—"

"Well, it was supposed to be a beach—"

"Yes, yes, I know you wanted to go sunbathing and watch the sunset and buy overly expensive souvenirs—"

The girl looks at him, her eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "I've never seen the sun."

The Doctor pauses, not sure how to continue. "Never?"

"Never in my life."

"Where in the _world_ did you grow up?"

"Same place I just escaped from."

"You mean... you've never been outside of the prison? You can't be serious..."

"No. I was..." The Doctor raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. She sighs impatiently and leans back against the TARDIS. She stares out across the field as if trying to find the answer somewhere in the endless blades of grass. "I was born there."

"You were born in a prison?"

"Yep. Criminal, born and raised."

"But then... are both of your parents in the Stormcage as well?"

"You know, I'm getting tired of the scenery. Let's go somewhere else."

"Why won't you answer any of my questions?"

"Somewhere with nice weather."

"You practically stole my ship—"

"How about Boca? That's in Florida. Maybe—"

"I think I have the right to know a bit about you—"

"–we'll get it right this time."

"Fine. Florida it is."

She finally looks up at him, and he can see in her eyes she's conflicted. "Thanks." She looks away, back over the horizon. The sun is beginning to set, casting a red glow over the landscape.

After a moment, the Doctor smiles. "But honestly. Captain _Why?_ That's the best you could come up with?"

Her eyes narrow and the sly grin returns, though more tentative than before. "I was on the run. Besides, I doubt you could think of anything better."

"Alright, Miss... Florida," he chuckles.

She smiles for a moment, but it's gone as quickly as it appeared. "It's Sarah," she replies, her voice almost a whisper.

"Pardon?"

"My name is Sarah."

The Doctor smiles and stretches out his hand. "I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"Just... the Doctor."

"Alright." She smiles, shaking his hand. "Doctor _Why_."

As soon as the TARDIS doors shut behind her, Sarah turns to the Doctor. "So Florida."

"Actually, there's something I need to do first."

Sarah frowns. "What, pick up some groceries?"

"No, there's... someone I need to see."

"Alright, I'll wait in the car."

"No, this is something I need to do alone.

"Why can't I just come with you? I promise I won't be a bother."

"No."

"Why?"

"It's private business; it doesn't concern you."

"I can just stay in here while you conduct your _private business_."

"Or you could just wait for me in Florida."

"Okay, it's settled. I'm coming with you."

The Doctor clenches his fists, pacing back and forth in front of the TARDIS console. Maybe it would be alright for her to come along, if only just to wait in the TARDIS. If only for the knowledge that someone will be there once he leaves his friend's side for the last time. If only to not be alone, just for a moment.

"Alright. You can come."

Sarah smiles. "Right. Where are we going?"

"One condition. No questions."

"Right."

The Doctor peeks his head out the doors, and immediately spots a young red headed girl bundled in a coat, perched on a suitcase. Her sides rise and fall with her breath, which is visible in the chilly winter air. She is definitely asleep.

The Doctor approaches her cautiously, then kneels by her side.

"Hello, Amelia Pond."

The girl's breath stays steady. She hasn't woken. It's the same little girl he met that night that seemed so long ago for him, but for her it's only been a few hours. Funny how things work out.

"The girl who waited. Twelve years and four psychiatrists. Sorry about that, by the way. You'll be quite cross with me when you grow up. But one day, you'll come round. And oh, Amelia, the _adventures we'll have_. You'll get to meet a star whale. The last one in the universe, actually. And you'll save its life. You'll get to travel to all sorts of places, see all sorts of things... you'll fall in love with a man who will wait two thousand years for you. And you'll change... a lot of people's lives. But Amelia, it's a long while until you get to do those things. I'm a cheat, I get to take the easy way out. But you... you're going to have to be strong. You're going to have to trust me."

He rests a hand gently on her head, stroking her hair. This is what he always does. He asks them to trust him, knowing full well what could happen to them, but this time he knows exactly what this little girl's fate is. And yet he still tells her to have faith. Is this what it's like to be a god? To know the answers and the outcome, but still you have to tell them to _trust you?_

"She must have meant a lot to you." The Doctor jumps and turns quickly toward the voice. Sarah stands a few feet behind him, staring curiously at young Amelia. "Who was she?"

"An old friend," he replies softly.

"She doesn't seem very old."

"She hasn't met me yet. This is her before she decided to travel with me. Before she decided to be whisked away by a strange man to see strange worlds... and ultimately she payed the price. They all do."

"But it's worth it, right? To see all those worlds, to travel in space, and meet aliens and go on adventures and—"

"It's not that simple."

Sarah doesn't reply, just looks down at Amelia with a strange nostalgic smile. "I waited for someone once. Just like her."

The Doctor raises an eyebrow.

"He was supposed to visit me and _'whisk me away'_ from that awful place. We were going to travel together and see the stars."

"Did you get sick of waiting then?"

"No. He came for me when I was young. My mum had told me all these wonderful things about him. He was this hero that traveled _everywhere_, saving civilizations and exploring the universe. She promised one day he would come for me. And finally one day, he did."

"Well then, why did you hijack my TARDIS? Why didn't your handsome hero whisk you off to see the stars?"

Sarah laughs, shaking her head. "Not quite Prince Charming."

"Then who exactly?"

"My father."

"Your father?"

"Is there an echo in here?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Not quite. So, you _have _met him then?"

"Let's go to Florida."

"You didn't answer my question."

"I heard the best time to go is right before tourist season."

"You're not going to answer me, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine," he sighed. "Then off to Florida it is."


End file.
